The City of New Prague provides drinking water to its residents from a groundwater source: six wells ranging from 398 to 652 feet deep, that draw water from the Franconia-Mt. Simon and Franconia-Eau Claire aquifers.
New Prague city water greatly benefits from a water softener as the hardness level ranges from 20-22gpg which is more than 5x harder than the national average. Certain radioactive elements like radon and combined radium have exceeded state limits and would require filtration or reverse osmosis if removal is desired.
The EPA has established two standards for additional contaminants in tap water:
MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level - The maximum allowable level of a certain contaminant
MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level GOAL - The level where studies have found ZERO HEALTH RISKS, aka the "Health Limit"
Certain contaminants that absorb easily through your skin have been highlighted in orange. For those items, a Point of Entry (POE) system is recommended to treat all the water for your home/business.
2009 New Prague Water Report
2008 New Prague Water Report
2007 New Prague Water Report
2006 New Prague Water Report
| Contaminant | Levels Found |
Health Limit |
Potential Effect | Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha Emitters | 3.5 - 8.8 | 0pCi/L | Increased risk of cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow |
| Arsenic | 1.66 | 0ppb | Skin damage or problems with circulatory systems, and may have increased risk of getting cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, Arsenic Filters |
| Bromodichloromethane | 1.17 - 4.0 | 0ppb | Increased risk of cancer, damage to liver, kidneys, and nervous system | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Chloroform | 2.27 - 6.9 | 5.7ppb | Nervous system depression, increase in kidney and liver tumors | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Combined Radium | 2.2 - 8.3 | 0pCi/L | Increased risk of cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow |
| Dibromochloromethane | 0.44 - 1.4 | 0.4ppb | Increased risk of cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Dichloroacetic acid | 0.8 - 1.7 | 0ppb | Irritant and corrosive to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Haloacetic Acids | 2.5 - 2.7 | 0ppb | Increased risk of cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Radon | 370 - 791 | 1.5pCi/L | Increased risk of lung cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow |
| Total Coliform Bacteria | 1% | 0% | Not a health threat in itself; it is used to indicate whether other potentially harmful bacteria may be present | Pureoflow, Ultrafiltration |
| Total Trihalomethanes | 6.7 - 13.0 | 0ppb | Liver, kidney or central nervous system problems; increased risk of cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Trichloroethylene | 0.01 - 0.1 | 0ppb | Liver problems; increased risk of cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Contaminant | Levels Found |
Health Limit |
Potential Effect | Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barium | 0.06 - 0.08 | 2ppb | Increase in blood pressure | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow |
| Chlorine | 0.8 - 1.98 | 4.0ppm | Eye/nose irritation; stomach discomfort | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Fluoride | 1.0 - 1.3 | 4.0ppm | Bone disease (pain and tenderness of the bones); children may get mottled teeth | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow |
| Hardness | 20 - 22gpg | NA | Increased energy consumption, damage to plumbing, appliances, fixtures, clothing, and glassware | Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Water Softener |
| Monochloroacetic acid | 0.99 - 2.7 | 70ppm | Increased risk of cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Nitrate | 0.57 - 0.94 | 10ppm | Infants below the age of six months could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and "blue baby" syndrome. | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow |
| Sodium | 45 - 56ppm | NA | Hypertension | Pureoflow, DMT Systems |
| Sulfate | 103 - 110ppm | NA | Catharsis, Dehydration from diarrhoea | Pureoflow, DMT Systems |
| Trichloroacetic acid | 1.23 - 1.7 | 20ppm | Increased risk of cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Xylenes | 0.1 | 10ppm | Nervous system damage | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
This information was compiled from New Prague's water treatment reports, the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), Minnesota Department of Health(DOH), World Health Organization(WHO), and Environmental Working Group(EWG).